« CELEBRATING 50 YEARS AT HILLEL
Celebrating
50 Fabulous Alumni
Listed by Hillel Day School graduation date.
s. VIEDER FAMILY
The Vieder family has been associated with
Hillel Day School since its beginning. Larry
Vieder, Cantor at Congregation Adat Shalom,
was a founding member. Brothers Sandy and
Mark are both graduates of Hillel. While Sandy
was attending Hillel, his older brother Tom
enrolled his first-born. Eight Vieder children,
all boys, went on to graduate or are currently
attending Hillel. There has been a Vieder male
attending Hillel for the past 40 years!
2.J UDGE MARK GOLDSMITH
'67
'70
Audio producer and editor for clients such
as GM, Ford, Daimler-Chrysler and EDS.
Received an Emmy award in 1994 for an
original music score. Has two children that
graduated from Hillel and 11 nieces and
nephews that have either graduated or are
attending Hillel.
3. MARTY LIEBMAN
I
n celebration of Hillel Day School's 50th anniversary, a group of 50 Fabulous graduates were selected
to represent the school's alumni. Nominations from the community, through a ballot that ran in
the Jewish Arms, as well as a committee of Hillel parents and administration, chose these alumni to
represent a small sample of what Hillel Day School graduates look like 1, 5, 15, 25 and even 50 years later.
These are quite a distinguished group of people. Their -fields of work and interests span business, law, the
rabbinate, education, journalism, music and the arts, community service and philanthropy.
They have won Pulitzer prizes and Hopwood Awards, Fulbright Scholarships and Emmys. They have
attended Harvard, Yale, Brown, Cornell, the Jewish Theological Seminary and the Royal Academy of the
Arts. These are exceptionally diverse people. However, when the subject was Hillel, they all said the same
thing: they would send their children to Hillel. Not only did Hillel help them develop critical thinking skills
and Jewish values, but they forged lasting friendships. Many of them communicated that the strong Jewish
identity that they developed at Hillel inspired them to be successful adults who work towards the greater
good of our world.
We salute all of Hillel's graduates over the last 50 years, and all of the parents and grandparents who were and
continue to be committed to giving their children and grandchildren the gift of a Jewish day school education.
We hope that you will enjoy these stories.
4. ROBERT SCHOSTAK '71
5. WILLIAM LANSAT '72
Litigation specialist in child protective
proceedings. Appointed by Governor Engler and
reappointed by Governor Granholm to serve on
the Governor's Task Force on Children's Justice.
Attorney on the "Nathaniel Abraham" case.
'74
Community lay leader and philanthropist
for Jewish and secular organizations. Chair
of the Jewish Women's Foundation, co-chair
of the Detroit Federation's Family Mission of
2008, board member of Gleaners Community
Food Bank, 2006 Jewish National Fund
honoree, and 2000 Sylvia Simon Greenberg
award recipient. Has four children who are
attending or have graduated from Hillel.
Steve Feedman, Head of School
Jim Berger, President
6. LISA LIS
'74
National Director of Synagogue and Rabbinic
Activities for the State of Israel Bonds.
Collaborates with regional offices to help
oversee over 800 congregational events
per year that raise as much as 140 million
dollars. Takes members of the rabbinic
cabinet and board of directors on an annual
Israel conference.
7. RABBI MARTY PASTERNAK
JUDGE MARK GOLDSMITH
Pioneering Spirit for Jewish Learning
CLASS OF 1967
Judge Mark Goldsmith was a member of the first graduating class of Hillel
Day School. "I credit Hillel for helping develop my love of Jewish learning
and the Hebrew language." Judge Goldsmith also recalled how
"Hillel provided a great opportunity to blossom in general studies
due to the intimacy and warmth of its teachers."
Judge Goldsmith earned degrees from the University of Michigan
and Harvard Law School. He was a partner of the Detroit-based
law firm Honigman, Miller, Schwartz & Cohn, LLP before being
appointed Circuit Court Judge in 2004.
"The centrality of Judaism in my life promoted my sense of social
justice and gave me an affinity towards professions that would
promote social justice," he said of his career in taw.
Judge Goldsmith serves on the board of the Center for Study of Citizenship at Wayne State University, is president of the
Federal Bar Association Eastern District Michigan Chapter, and participates in the Oakland Bar Association Inn of the Court.
He is married to Judy and has two children:
Jared and Molly, H DS class of 2007.
Four classrooms in the
kindergarten/first grade wing
are added to accommodate an
enrollment of 400 students. Hillel
affiliates with the Solomon
Schechter Day School
movement.
1979
The mortgage is retired
thanks to the generosity o
Hitlel parents an : i 11
other community
participants.
1982
William, Ethan and Marla Davidson
endow a new wing, currently Hillel's
fourth/fifth grade wing, and is the first
renovation at the Middlebelt campus.
The Jean and Sam Frankel wing,
currently the second/third grade
wing, is named, as is the Mary
and Mike Must Multi-purpose
Room. Enrollment reaches
503 students.
1986
Kindergarten moves
from the Little Red
Schoolhouse
to the main
building.
1987